Mitch Fillman makes 'simple' move to defense for Saginaw Spirit

Alex Slitz | The Saginaw NewsMitch Fillman, skating ahead of Plymouth's Tyler Seguin, has made the move to defense.

When Spirit head coach Todd Watson calls Mitch Fillman a “simple player,” he means it in the best of ways.

After the Spirit traded away a pair of veteran defensemen last month for a younger forward and defensemen, Watson soon went about looking for someone to provide depth to the defensive ranks.

He settled on Fillman, a third-year veteran of the team who had been playing forward but also had the ability to play defense in a smart, simple and reliable way.

“We just wanted a simple guy back there, and we knew he would bring that,” Watson said of Fillman. “A smart, simple player, and he’s done that.”

Nearly a month into his transition, Fillman has excelled in his newfound role, both as a defenseman and a staple on the Spirit penalty kill. He’s not flashy, and doesn’t fill up the stat sheet — 22 points in 91 OHL games through Tuesday. But he gives Saginaw valuable minutes on a defensive unit that is looking for more consistency.

The Spirit lost their fifth consecutive game Wednesday, dropping a 7-0 decision to Sault Ste. Marie. The Greyhounds scored three goals in each of the first two periods to begin the rout. Saginaw goalie Anthony Peters made 36 saves, while the Spirit were 0-for-7 on the power play.

The Spirit now head to Plymouth for a 7 p.m. Saturday game. Saginaw lost to the Whalers twice last week, 6-2 Wednesday and 3-2 in overtime Saturday.

Suspensions of four players, including three forwards, from Saturday’s game means Fillman could see time at both forward and defense — something he’s not opposed to.

“It’s really whatever the coaches want,” Fillman said. “I’ve played defense in the past, and I can play back there if they want to put me back there in certain situations.”

Fillman grew up playing defense, but switched to forward in high school because he said he thought it would be “something fun to do.” Through his recent years as a forward, he has kept some defenseman skills — like skating backwards — that he has dusted off in the past few weeks.

“It took me a little while to get back into things,” Fillman said. “But once you start doing the little things in practice, you get back to doing it well.”

Watson said one of the reasons Fillman was moved back to defense was to add more of a veteran presence, after the team traded away experienced defensemen T.J. Brodie and Nick Crawford.

Four weeks later, the results for the unit as a whole have been up-and-down at times. That was apparent last week, when against the same team in a three-day span, Saginaw gave up four goals in the first 23 minutes to Plymouth last Wednesday and three goals in 62 minutes of an overtime loss Friday.

“We’re getting used to each other now,” said defenseman Joe Underwood, a fourth-year OHL veteran.

So for now, Fillman will stick near the blue line, happy to do his part where he is needed.

“I like him back there,” Watson said. “That doesn’t mean he’s going to be back there all year, but right now he’s going to stay back there.”